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It’s quite a conundrum for many women who have greasy or oily skin, so if you’re one of them you’re in good company – Victoria Beckham and Alicia Keyes have apparently both said that that they’ve suffered from greasy skin and acne.

Oily or greasy skin tends to look a bit shiny and has enlarged pores, it’s also prone to getting pimples, blackheads and blemishes and when you’re in your teens, acne can be a big problem as well. There’s good news though, although you may hate it when you’re young, as you get older you tend to have fewer wrinkles, so that’s something to look forward to!

There are lots of reasons why you might have oily skin, hormones often play a part especially if you use the contraceptive pill; you may secrete too much sebum which is a common cause of oily skin and dark skin is often oily as it has more sweat glands and sebaceous glands than white skin; using oils that are too fatty on your skin will also exacerbate the problem.

Looking after oily skin doesn’t have to be difficult; the trick is to remove the excess sebum without drying up the skin. How do you do this?

You need to use a very gentle cleanser and twice a day is plenty. If you over-cleanse or do too much peeling using products that dry out your skin, your body starts to overproduce sebum. It’s also a mistake to use abrasive exfoliants because you strip the skin of its natural acid mantle which protects the skin from bacteria. Using the right toner [with no alcohol] can help to close up pores which means you reduce the possibility of inflammation from dust and dirt getting into the pores.

Unfortunately, there’s a myth that says you shouldn’t put oils onto oily skin. This is both true and not true – it’s certainly true if you use oils which are comedogenic, meaning that they block the pores. By contrast, you want to give your skin the right oils so that you help regulate sebum production and your sebaceous glands can have time off! This way you help your skin move toward being a more ‘normal’ skin type.

When you’re looking for a suitable moisturiser for oily skin, read the label and see what plant oils have been included. The important thing you need to know is what to avoid, [despite what the advertising says] and what oils will actually benefit your skin.

Oils that your skin will love are those with high quantities of omega-3 fatty acids, these are thin, dry oils and quickly absorbed – Kiwi seed, Chia seed, Thistle and Rosehip are all excellent. The oils you need to avoid or check that they’re used in very small quantities are Olive, Neem, Macadamia, Moringa, Camelina, Coconut oil, Castor oil and also products that are paraffin based or that contain a lot of emulsifiers as these too can clog pores.

You can also use clay masks but only use the masks on the parts of your face that are oily and choose green or yellow clays which are best for oily skin.

Looking after oily skin starts from the inside – what you eat is really important.

Wise choices in what you eat and what you put on your skin will pay you back many times over. It’s worth remembering that everything you put on your skin is absorbed, after all, that’s why hormone and nicotine patches work and everything you eat and feed your body with will be reflected in your general health which includes the health of your skin. You are what you eat!

What’s in your skin cream? Any ideas? Thought not. The ingredients lists on cosmetics’ packaging can confuse even the most clued-up label lover. Marian Bourne who created Celgenics shares her tips on what to look out for.

What comes out of the lab isn't always good for your skin

Many products made by leading cosmetics brands contain unfathomable lists of ingredients that can be harmful to not only ourselves, but the environment around us. You need to be armed with the information on what you should be avoiding. So what are the top 10 chemicals to avoid to guarantee you’re not using highly toxic ingredients?

1. Parabens
Otherwise known as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butly (sounding rather like the registration call for a 1930s girls’ school classroom), and also hydoxy methyl benzoates. Parabens are artificial preservatives which can give a product up to seven years of shelf life. They’ve been linked to cancer, they’re neurotoxic and they have hormone-disrupting qualities which mimic oestrogen and interfere with the body’s endocrine system. This is a cluster of glands, each of which secretes a type of hormone directly into your bloodstream to regulate your body.

2. Synthetic Colours and Fragrances
Many colours in make-up and fragrances are carcinogenic – defined, this means a substance or radiation that’s an agent directly involved in causing cancer. Labelled as FD&C or D&C, these are followed by a colour and a number. Fragrances for women can contain up to 200 single ingredients. They can also cause many side effects such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, irritation and so on. Both are found in nearly all chemical-based products and cosmetics.

3. Propylene Glycol
This is used as a moisturiser – ideally this is vegetable glycerin mixed with grain alcohol, both of which are natural and have virtually no toxicity. But usually, it’s a synthetic petrochemical mix and labelled as PEG or PPG. They can often cause an allergic reaction, including dermatitis, kidney or liver abnormalities and could inhibit the growth of your skin cells, or cause skin irritation.

4. Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulphate
A cheap and harsh detergent that is strong enough to degrease an engine! SLS provides the foaming and cleaning action in toothpastes, shampoos, soaps and body washes. Not surprisingly, it easily penetrates the skin and helps other chemicals to penetrate. It’s sometimes disguised on the label as having been derived from coconut – this too can cause eye and skin irritation.

5. Formaldehyde
Labelled as diazolidinyl urea or imidazolidinyl urea, these chemicals release formaldehyde – a colourless gas that is commonly used to preserve the dead that seems a strange choice for beauty products! It can cause irritation to the eyes, skin and lungs and is a known carcinogen.

6. Diethanolamine (DEA) and Triethanolamine (TEA)
Often used in cosmetics as emulsifiers and/or foaming agents. They can cause allergic reactions, eye irritation and dryness of hair and skin. They are carcinogenic and toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time.

7. Toluene
This is poison! It’s harmful if inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Made from petroleum or coal tar, it’s found in many synthetic fragrances. Long-term exposure has been linked to anaemia, low blood cell count, liver/kidney damage, and it may even affect a developing foetus – so if you’re pregnant, it’s a nasty it’s very much best to avoid. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) contains toluene. Other names may include benzoic and benzyl.

8. Petrolatum
Commonly known as mineral oil jelly, liquid vaseline, paraffinum and baby oil! It’s derived from petroleum products and is often mixed with paraffin oil derivatives. These products coat the skin like a plastic so your pores get clogged, and your skin can’t breathe. The ensuing build-up of toxins can lead to acne, dermatitis and photosensitivity, or rash.

10. Skin Whiteners
These are a combination of the hormone cortisone and hydroquinone. Frankly, you shouldn’t see hydroquinone in any European product, because it has been banned. However, if you see it in a product on the internet, don’t be tempted, it’s carcinogenic and may pose a risk of leukemia.

There are many other ingredients to watch out for. A good rule of thumb is to look out for abbreviations e.g. (DEA) or (TEA) in brackets and chemical chain names e.g. stearalkonium chloride. New laws are due to be enforced over the next few years, which should hopefully bring a better understanding of cosmetic ingredient risks. The cosmetics industry may soon find that it has to justify everything that goes into its products – and not before time!

Do your cosmetics contain these nasties? Why not have a rummage through and let me know?

Celgenics: Skin for the Future – has been a voyage from complementary health care to 21st century skin care.

The background

Most of my work as a Nutritional therapist, Kinesiologist and Cranio Sacral practitioner has been helping people on their journey back to health by finding the reason for their illness.

Over a number of years I have discovered time and again that many problems of ill health relate to toxicity:

from the thousands of chemicals and toxic substances we are surrounded by

from exposure to toxic metals including amalgam fillings

from internal toxicity created by the presence of parasites and other gut pathogens

Many of my patients suffered from ailments caused by breathing in pesticides or herbicides after farmers had sprayed farmland; others would get ill washing their hair with shampoo containing sodium laurel sulfates; for others it would be a trip to a high street chemist or a department store where they would be overwhelmed by the smell of all the perfumes; others were affected by the out-gassing from new paint, new carpets and curtains which contain a myriad of anti fungal agents and preservatives. Patients who had had amalgam fillings for many years frequently had symptoms of ME and would describe themselves as being chemically sensitive.

95% of these patients were unable to wear ‘normal’ cosmetics or use traditional skin care products. Their skin would become itchy, red or blotchy and often they would feel nauseous. Most of them described their skin as being super-sensitive.

The light bulb moment

I started by making up creams specifically suited to their skin type and problems using the appropriate oils and active ingredients and, very importantly, without the use of any Parabens, Sodium Laurel Sulfates or chemicals. I also used Spring water rather than distilled water. The creams were a great success, with many people being able to use a moisturiser for the first time ever!

Preparing these individual creams for people was how the Celgenics journey began. From there I started incorporating the natural vibrational energy from homeopathic remedies, flower essences and crystals into my creams and realised that skin care which everyone could use should be available.

The journey continues to help more people

Now, I passionately want to expand what I’m doing in my practice and reach more people who struggle to find skin care they feel happy to use and who want a product that makes a difference. This is skin care which is free of toxic chemicals and has the additional advantage of working with the electromagnetic field of the body through the energetic use of vibrational remedies to help skin rejuvenate and repair.

An intensive and gentle treatment with Organic Rosehip oil for skin regeneration, Witch Hazel to soothe and refresh, Eyebright to brighten and tone the delicate skin around the eye.

HAND MADE with natural Spring water for extra effectiveness.

We have added additional vibrational information to help with tired and strained eyes from the use of computers and television.

Eye Essential is enriched with energetic information from crystals, flower essences, homeopathic remedies and our unique FETTM system, to balance and up-regulate cellular energy which, as you age becomes increasingly important.
How you age, how much your skin wrinkles and how much you can prevent wrinkles, is largely dependent on your ability to repair at a cellular level.

Moisturiser Plus is enriched with energetic information from crystals, flower essences, homeopathic remedies and our unique FETTM system, to balance and up-regulate cellular energy, which as you age becomes increasingly important. How you age, how much your skin wrinkles and how much you can prevent wrinkles, is largely dependent on your ability to repair at a cellular level.